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TechQuiet 9d · day 11

Marcin Wichary recounts bug in 2010 Google Pac-Man doodle

Designer and engineer shares how an unintended consequence of autoplaying sound backfired when the game launched on Google's homepage.

newest coverage 9d agosummary written 10d ago6 pieces36 likes & upvotes8 comments Hacker NewsMastodonNewswiresLobsters

What to know

  • Marcin Wichary built an interactive Pac-Man game for Google's homepage in 2010 to mark the arcade game's 30th anniversary, coding it in HTML and CSS with autoplay and sound.
  • Leadership approved the game to autoplay with sound after 10 seconds of inactivity to surprise users, a decision made before the full consequences were understood.
  • An undisclosed bug introduced by Wichary backfired on launch day in a way the team did not anticipate, causing the autoplay feature to "scare others."
  • Wichary reveals the incident nearly 16 years later in an essay framed as a Halloween spooky-story, with the specific impact of the bug remaining implied rather than detailed in the published excerpt.

Marcin WicharyMarcin Wichary UX designer and engineer at GoogleGoogle Homepage platform operatorNamco Pac-Man rights holder

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 4 pieces in 3h at Nov 1, 1 AM; 6 pieces over 11 days (1 article · 5 posts) Nov 1, 1 AM — 4 pieces · 1 article · 3 posts — Mastodon 2, Hacker News 1, Newswires 1Nov 1, 3 AM — quietNov 1, 6 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 1, 9 AM — quietNov 1, 12 PM — quietNov 1, 3 PM — quietNov 1, 6 PM — quietNov 1, 9 PM — quietNov 2, 12 AM — quietNov 2, 3 AM — quietNov 2, 6 AM — quietNov 2, 9 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Lobsters 1Nov 2, 12 PM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 6 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 12 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 7, 12 AM — quietNov 7, 3 AM — quietNov 7, 6 AM — quietNov 7, 9 AM — quietNov 7, 12 PM — quietNov 7, 3 PM — quietNov 7, 6 PM — quietNov 7, 9 PM — quietNov 8, 12 AM — quietNov 8, 3 AM — quietNov 8, 6 AM — quietNov 8, 9 AM — quietNov 8, 12 PM — quietNov 8, 3 PM — quietNov 8, 6 PM — quietNov 8, 9 PM — quietNov 9, 12 AM — quietNov 9, 3 AM — quietNov 9, 6 AM — quietNov 9, 9 AM — quietNov 9, 12 PM — quietNov 9, 3 PM — quietNov 9, 6 PM — quietNov 9, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quietToday, 3 PM — quietToday, 6 PM — quiet 1
Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9yesterdaynow · 8:41 PM ET
  1. 1

    Wichary publishes essay describing the bug and its consequences

    Wichary publishes "Pac-Man's Siren Call" on Unsung as part of Halloween Week, framing it as a story about how his bug "scared others." The essay reveals the technical decisions and launch-day issues but leaves the specific nature of the bug's impact implied rather than fully explained in the excerpt.

    “It was, frankly, a terrifying proposition. The homepage was then a very important destination, and my job title was only adjacent to "software engineer."”
    — Marcin Wichary, Google UX designer and engineer · source
    1. 1 outlet Pac-Man's Siren Call

      first by HN Frontpage, 10d ago

    • hkrn@mstdn.social

      Pac-Man's Siren Call L: https:// unsung.aresluna.org/pac-mans-s iren-call/ C: https:// news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5 0323187 posted on 2026.11.01 at 01:29:49 (c=1, p=4)

      hkrn@mstdn.socialMastodon10d agoview on Mastodon ↗
    2 posts in this stretch →
  2. background

    Pac-Man doodle launches with undetected bug — The game went live on Google's homepage after an all-nighter by Wichary and team members. An important bug of his own making that he had introduced backfired on launch day in an unexpected way.

  3. background

    Google leadership approves autoplay feature with sound — Leadership decided the doodle should autoplay after 10 seconds of inactivity to showcase the game to users. The decision meant Pac-Man would autoplay with iconic sound effects including the starting melody and waka-wakas.

  4. background

    Wichary codes Pac-Man doodle for Google homepage 30th anniversary — After sitting next to the doodle team, Marcin Wichary was asked to recreate Pac-Man in HTML and CSS for Google's homepage. He researched the original game intensely, added a Ms. Pac-Man easter egg, and reimagined the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button as "Insert Coin."

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